The Sounds of Capricorn Season

I am writing this on New Year’s Day while enjoying a homemade charcuterie board and champagne—which might actually be more appropriate for Taurus season, if not for the fact that it’s my little reward for spending the last two days painting my apartment.

That feels very Capricornian to me: indulging in something luxurious only after you feel you’ve earned it through appropriately hard work. And yes, it’s real champagne from the Champagne region of France. None of this sparkling wine/Prosecco nonsense.

In a not-very-Capricornian move, I admit that this playlist is coming well into the season, and I don’t have a particularly good excuse outside of “holidays!” Which is true. It’s also true that I didn’t want Capricorns to get lost in the holiday hubbub, so I’m squeaking this in just in time for the New Moon in Capricorn.

I have a soft spot for Capricorns. I really get them. Sure, I’m a Cap rising with a stellium in Capricorn (in the first house of self!), but I didn’t always love them. Cold, hard, obsessed with tradition and discipline? No thank you. It was only when I found out that David Bowie was a Capricorn that I began to embrace Capricorn tendencies.

Capricorns endure. They survive. They know that life is full of hard knocks, but you’ll never hear them complaining about it. No, instead they buckle down and get to work. They’re ambitious and forever obsessed with security and safety, whatever that means to them. They can also be quite stylish; Capricorns will apply their signature focus and discipline to all aspects of life, including their wardrobes. Sometimes it can be in a very classic black turtleneck sort of way, but not always. (See again: David Bowie.)

The tarot card associated with Capricorn is The Devil, which sounds scarier than it is. Kind of like Capricorns themselves. Lucifer was nothing if not ambitious, a classic Capricorn trait. Anyway, this makes building their playlist a bit easier because there are a lot of Capricorn musicians and a lot of them have songs with some kind of devil imagery. Dolly Parton has an album called Halos & Horns! And in a similar vein, FKA twigs made a whole album reclaiming a different misunderstood biblical figure, Mary Magdalene.

Anyway, there are a wealth of Capricorn musicians, probably because they are so dedicated and will do what it takes to succeed, even in cutthroat industries like entertainment. So this is a longer one, and it has liner notes.

Select Liner Notes:

“Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues feat. Kristy MacColl: One of the most popular Christmas songs in the U.K. and also one of my favorites. I think it’s hilarious but there has been some controversy over the lyrics over the years, to the point where arguing over them has become something of an annual holiday tradition in Britain. Anyway, it is technically a Christmas song, which does fall during Capricorn season, but feel free to skip if it doesn’t feel seasonally appropriate.

“O … Saya” composed by A.R. Rahman

“Modern Love” by David Bowie - The first of three.

“Back in Black” by AC/DC - a Capricorn anthem, in many ways. For one thing, they’re frequently found in black.

“It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by R.E.M.

“Pelican” by The Maccabees - okay, I’m googling this band now and realizing I’m not sure if any of them are actually Capricorns, but the song fits so well so it stays.

“Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra

“Red Bull & Hennessy” by Jenny Lewis

“Blue Monday” by New Order

“American Money” by BØRNS

“Because the Night” by Patti Smith

“Hand of God - Outro” by Jon Bellion

“Jolene” by Dolly Parton - if you really want to understand Capricorns, keep listening, but also go buy the Astro Poets book and read their opening bit about Dolly Parton and Jolene.

“A Certain Romance” by Arctic Monkeys

“Queen Bitch” by David Bowie - I am absolutely convinced that “Mr. Brightside” is simply Brandon Flowers’s tribute to this underrated gem.

“Black Dog” by Led Zeppelin

“The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song” by The Flaming Lips

“Derezzed” by Daft Punk

“She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summer

“I Predict a Riot” by Kaiser Chiefs

“Daydream Believer” by The Monkees - I always thought the lyrics were “Wake up, sleepy Jean.” It just makes more sense that way. Anyway, did you know that Davy Jones of The Monkees is why David Bowie is David Bowie? His real name is David Jones, but The Monkees were already a thing so he had to have a pseudonym.

“Walk” by Foo Fighters - Dave Grohl just seems like a really good person. Like someone you’d actually want to hang out with, you know?

“He’s a Pirate - Tiësto Radio Edit” by Hans Zimmer, Klaus Badelt, Geoff Zanelli and Tiësto - There’s also a seven minute version of this mix that I actually highly recommend, but I have a deep love for the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy that others may not share.

“Guerrilla Radio” by Rage Against the Machine

“Diamonds Are Forever” by Shirley Bassey - Security via nice things? Very Capricorn. Also, David Bowie shares a fantastic anecdote mentioning Shirley Bassey in his VH1 Storytellers (the “Rebel Rebel” track right after he talks about meeting Marc Bolan; you can also watch it here). If it’s good enough for Shirley Bassey it’s good enough for you, indeed.

“Ziggy Stardust” by David Bowie – Ziggy feels like a Capricorn to me. But I’m open to arguments for other signs.

“My Heart Belongs to Daddy” by Eartha Kitt - God, Eartha was such a Capricorn and so many of her songs fit the vibe. But since Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the father figure of the zodiac, this one felt especially appropriate.

“Ants Marching” by Dave Matthews Band - idk, I’m white so I kinda like this song. Still mad at DMB for dumping their literal shit in the Chicago River, though.

“Le Temps de L’amour” by Françoise Hardy

“The Sweetest Taboo” by Sade - She name checks Christmas and New Year’s in the lyrics; a Capricorn singing about her season!

“Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves” by Eurythmics/Annie Lennox

“Jamaica Mistaica” by Jimmy Buffet - see above re: me being white but also the story behind this song is absolutely WILD. You can see Jimmy Buffet’s real life plane, The Hemisphere Dancer, at Margaritaville in Universal Orlando now. Yes, it’s the one that got shot at.

“(You’re the) Devil in Disguise” by Elvis Presley - Did you know he and Bowie share a birthday? Elvis is twelve years older though. Also: devil imagery.

“Love Is a Battlefield” by Pat Benatar - this song will forever remind me of “13 Going on 30.” Do you know what happens around the age of 30? Your first Saturn return. Since Saturn is their ruling planet, life as a Capricorn is basically one long Saturn return.

“sad day” by FKA twigs

“Me and Bobby McGee” by Janis Joplin

“Even Flow” by Pearl Jam

“Livin’ la Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin - aaaand we come full circle with the lyric about “French champagne.”

David Bowie songs that almost made the cut: “Golden Years,” “Young Americans” and “Life on Mars?” (just because it’s my favorite).